


Dragon Kiss

by Dragonflames (Palatinedreams)



Category: Men's Football RPF, Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alpha!Marco, Alpha!Robert, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Anal Sex, Ancient Setting, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Relationship, Dragons, Explicit Sexual Content, Fights, Horses, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega!Manuel, Roman elements, Tales and legends, Threesome - M/M/M, War, alpha!thomas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:55:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29326611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Palatinedreams/pseuds/Dragonflames
Summary: The Southern Kingdom is at war with the Northern Kingdom, and the old tales say that the dragon will wake up when the Southern Kingdom is in danger and burn his enemies with his dragon fire.Thomas, the Chief Commander of the royal Dragon Legions, has never believed in those old tales, but one night after he almost died on the battlefield he realizes that he has been wrong not to believe in dragons, and he soon learns that his life will never be the same again...
Relationships: Robert Lewandowski/Thomas Müller/Manuel Neuer
Kudos: 8





	Dragon Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Janie94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/gifts).



> My dear, dear Janie94!  
> Happy birthday to you!! I wish you all the best in the world, and that you can yet have a wonderful day despite everything that is going on for so long already. I wish you health and happiness, and that the next year will be a wonderful year for you! <33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas has been lured into an ambush by the troopers from the Northern Kingdom, but just when he thinks that he's going to die, his First Centurion Robert comes to his rescue. Robert is still a mystery to him, and he feels drawn to him, even though he loves Manuel and wants to take him as his mate.  
> But Robert is not the only one who fascinates Thomas, and when he learns that the old tales about dragons and their fire are true, he fears that Manuel as one of the rare Omegas in both kingdoms will attract the attention of the Dragon King or perhpas even the dragon himself...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to you again, my dear Janie94!  
> I hope that you will like my birthday gift for you, I did my best to include everything I know you like in this story! :-)

_'So I'm going to die today,'_ Thomas thought distantly, _'on a rainy winter day. It would have been nice to see the sun rise and the flowers bloom again, but the Gods obviously have other plans for me.'_

The enemy had managed to separate him from his first cohort and corner him, and he'd been dense enough to ride right into their trap. Thomas feared much more what his death would mean to his men, the war itself and his beloved homeland than he cared about the fact that he wouldn't make it through the day; but that didn't mean that he had a death wish and would make it easy for his adversaries to slaughter him here on this small clearing. Thomas was well aware of the fact that the place where they had lured him into the ambush was too far away from the main battlefield for his legionaries to come to his rescue right in time and as long as he was still alive, but he would fight until his final breath with all he had, that much was sure.

Killing the royal Chief Commander of the Southern Kingdom would definitely turn the tables and lead to the defeat of the proud legions he commanded, and Thomas blamed himself grimly for his stupidity and arrogance that he'd allowed their enemies to trick him into this ambush in the first place. His two personal guards were already dead, lying with their faces down in the mud, and it was actually a mystery why he was still sitting on the back of his white stallion with his sword and shield in his slippery hands, his faithful companion rising on his hind legs with shrill neighs and his front hooves whirling through the chilly air to keep their attackers away and out of their weapons' range.

“You're my good boy, Stormwind,” Thomas soothed his steed, raising his shield just in time to parry the fatal blow of the hostile trooper's sword who'd come too close to him in spite of the dangerous hooves of his stallion. Ten troopers of the Northern Kingdom were circling him in safe distance to his own sword, and Thomas snorted scornfully that ten soldiers of the Northern king's armies were needed to kill one single man – even if said man was the Chief Commander of the remaining three proud and powerful legions which the Southern Kingdom still possessed.

“I'm right here, you cowards! Come and get me if you're brave enough!” he shouted, and the muddy-stained troopers roared in anger and yielded their swords through the icy-cold air as they tightened the deadly circle of their horses around him.

_'It's a good thing that Manuel isn't here, he would be foolish enough to sacrifice himself for me!'_

The unbidden thought crossed the young Alpha's mind as he steeled himself for the next attack, and he was grateful to know his best friend in the safety of the fortified field camp. Manuel was his right hand and one of the bravest man Thomas knew, but he'd been injured a few days ago and was still recovering from his wound, supposed to stay in the large tent he shared with Thomas as one of the two Commanders of the famous Dragon Legions of the Southern Kingdom.

Thomas was not only his best friend and superior commander, but also the only one who knew about Manuel's best kept secret, and the thing he regretted the most about his imminent death was that he wouldn't be able to take care of Manuel and help him keeping his secret in the future as well after that day any longer.

The ten troopers came closer, pressing the cleated soles of their boot-like sandals into the heaving flanks of their shying mounts to make them move forward. Thomas could see the hands of his adversaries trembling, the sharp stench of their fear penetrating his nose and offending his oversensitive sense of smell.

“Ten of you cowards against one single man, how brave and dauntless you are!” he sneered, “I hope your snake of a king is braver and worthier than you are, boys! What are you waiting for? Come and get me if you can!”

The commanding officer of the troopers shouted in anger, racing forward to attack him at last, but he was stopped midway in his movement and fell down from his beast like a tree log, already dead when he hit the ground. Thomas blinked at the whirling black shadow in front of him that was almost too fast to follow its motions with his eyes, rider and horse coalesced to a real inseparable entity as his opponents found themselves face to face with their nemesis all of a sudden, coming over them and rampaging in between them like the furious God of War himself.

The young Alpha sat on his stallion like frozen in place for several long seconds, and it was the hoarse voice of his First Centurion which made him snap out of his spellbound-like state eventually as he realized who'd actually come to his help so unexpectedly.

“Commander! I could use some help here!”

Robert.

His third-in-command had done the true miracle to break the enemy lines and come to his aid. Thomas shook his head to clear his mind and raised his sword as he pressed his heels into Stormwind's sweaty flanks and his stallion jumped forward at the tactile command.

 _'Maybe the Gods don't want me to die today, yet!'_ he thought in some kind of wonder, and his survival instincts kicked in with full force when Robert galloped in his direction, his two swords causing greatest damage among the nine troopers that were left. Three of them betook themselves to flight, bereft of the last shreds of their courage after watching their leader die under Robert's sword, but the black rider chased after them before they had the slightest chance to escape, his two steely blades feasting on their blood with unrestrained fury when he reached them and let out a triumphant growl.

His First Centurion looked as if the God of War had descended from heaven himself in color and person, and Thomas had to force his eyes away from the incredible sight of his raging centurion to make sure that the remaining six troopers would share the same fate as their unfortunate companions had already faced and cross the threshold to the Underworld together with their fallen brothers-in-arms before nightfall as well.

Robert's usually shiny and polished black armor was covered with mud and blood, and Thomas knew that he didn't look any better. Now was not the time to think about his appearance, though, and the young Alpha's battle cry echoed in between the trees surrounding the clearing as he cut through the wooden shield of the last enemy with his blade, watching the man's eyes widen in both horror and surprise when the steely tip of Thomas' weapon ripped his throat open and he felt his warm blood spilling out of the fatal wound and all over his own hauberk.

Thomas raised his blood-stained weapon to honor the God of War he'd dedicated his life to when he'd still been nothing more than a young boy, joining Robert then, who was waiting for him on the other side of the clearing before the lines of trees.

The dark-haired centurion bent his head before his Commander silently when Thomas stopped his horse beside him, their eyes meeting for a brief moment before he turned his black stallion around to ride in front of his superior on their way back to the camp. Thomas felt a shiver run down on his spine, his emotions finally catching up on him after the events of the last hour, and he could barely keep himself from returning the gesture of submission and bend his head as deeply before his officer as he would only bend it before his king – or the God of War himself.

He _wanted_ to bend his head before Robert to thank him for his life, but he was the Chief Commander of the king's Dragon Legions, whereas Robert was his First Centurion and therefore his underling, and Chief Commanders didn't lower themselves down like that, so he just nodded curtly and jerked his head in the direction of their camp.

“Good timing, First Centurion. Lead the way, I must return to the camp and see how many men we've lost today.”

“My honor, Commander.” Robert curled his right hand into a tight fist to beat himself onto his muddy armor right over his heart with another deep bow of his head, apparently unaffected by the icy-cold wind that was blowing over the clearing and driving the chilly downpour over the muddy meadow and through the small gaps that were left between the seemingly impenetrable wall of trees in front of them.

Thomas kept his eyes on Robert's straight back on the whole ride back, knowing that he owed his life to the man he considered to be a true and loyal friend despite their different ranks, but who was still such a mystery to him that he couldn't help but wonder whether or not he would ever get to know the real Robert.

*~*~*  
  


Thomas was sitting by the campfire outside of his tent a few hours later, tired down to his bones but still too restless to merely think of catching some sleep. He'd visited the makeshift infirmary set up in the largest tent in the center of the fortified camp, taking his time to talk to the wounded legionaries and the medici who did their best to keep each of them alive, even those without any actual chance to survive their fatal injuries and see the sun rise again the very next day. The young Alpha had kept the unwavering mask of confidence on his face by sheer willpower, knowing that he couldn't allow himself to break down in front of his men, but he'd sent his new personal guards away to have some privacy during dinner, earning himself a scowl from his best friend and Sub Commander Manuel - who'd chosen the soldiers personally despite of his injury first thing right after Thomas' return to the camp.

Robert had left him after their arrival in the camp to see to his duties as Thomas' temporary Sub Commander for as long as Manuel was out because of his own injury, and the young Alpha pushed the food on his plate from one side to the other as he stared into the flickering flames of the fire with unseeing eyes, regretting now that he hadn't thanked his First Centurion for putting his own life at risk as he'd come to save his Commander earlier today. Robert was one hell of a warrior; rider and horse building a real unit and bringing terror and death to their enemies wherever he broke through their lines. His two swords never missed their aims, and the hooves of his pitch black stallion Nightshade had brought down countless of unfortunate soldiers who hadn't been quick or lucky enough to escape them.

 _'He should be the king's Commander, not me. He's the better fighter, the better rider, he's a naturally born leader in a way I can never be,'_ Thomas mused, flinching when a voice coming from behind him interrupted the dangerous path his thoughts had taken.

“Robert is all of this, but he's not better than you, Thomas, and he knows that – opposite to you as it would seem. You are equal in everything that matters, but you are the one our men will follow to the Underworld and back as often as it'll be necessary, and Robert knows that much better than anyone else probably does - and that he can serve our beloved homeland best as your faithful First Centurion - so stop beating yourself up for what happened today. He could defeat them because he _knew_ that you were there, fighting by his side.”

“Did I speak out loud again?” Thomas craned his neck to look up at Manuel, his Sub Commander, best friend and beloved Omega. He and Manuel had grown up together in the same small village, Thomas in the castle that towered over the half-timber houses nestled against the wooden mountain where one of Thomas' ancestors had once built Castle Falconstone on top of it like a real hawk's nest. Manuel's home hadn't been as impressive as the stony walls of the castle, but their different states and circumstances of life had never mattered to Thomas in any way.

He was the only one who knew that Manuel was an Omega, he'd been the one hiding his friend when he'd gone into heat for the first time, going on a week-long journey into the thick forests of their home to find the house of the hermit the villagers only dared to talk about in hushed whispers to get the herbals that would mask Manuel's true nature and suppress his heats well enough that he would appear as a Beta to others.

The fact that Manuel was much taller and broader in build than the usual Omega also helped to keep up the charade and allow his beloved friend to not only join the royal legions of the Dragon King, but also to even become Thomas' second-in-command. They'd never been apart from each other for longer than a couple of days ever since Manuel had presented as an Omega so many years ago, and his friend knew him better than anybody else in this world knew Thomas Lord Falconstone, Alpha and Chief Commander of the royal Dragon Legions of the Southern Kingdom.

Manuel now sat down beside him with a smile. The deep wound in his left side was still healing, and Thomas had ignored his protests that he was well enough to ride into the battle and fight again, telling Manuel strictly that he had to stay in the camp until the medicus would clear him fit for duty without any remaining doubts again.

“No, you didn't, Thomas. But I know what you're thinking when you have that look in your eyes. You feel guilty because Robert put himself at risk for your sake – but that is what _you_ are doing for our beloved country and all of us every day, Thomas, always being the first to ride into the battle in front of our legions and being the last one to leave the battlefield again. Our men worship the ground you're walking upon, and so do Robert and I. He knew what he was getting himself into when he accepted the promotion to become your First Centurion – just like I knew what I'd signed up for as your Sub Commander.”

Manuel's unobtrusive scent was a bit sharper than usual thanks to the pain he was still feeling in his side, the suppressants doing a damn good job at masking the alluring sweetness that was hidden underneath, but Thomas could still detect the faintest hint of it, as his senses were still running high on adrenaline and oversensitive; and the familiar taste of cinnamon on his tongue as he inhaled deeply Manuel's unique scent calmed his inner turmoil down like nothing else could ever do as quickly and thoroughly.

“That's different, and you know that, Manu. Robert is the best First Centurion I could wish for, and he's for sure the best centurion who has ever served in the Dragon Legions, but what do we know about him? His origin is still a mystery, and I still wonder where he learned to ride and fight like he actually does – as he already joined the legions as the amazing warrior he actually is about a year ago, instead of going through the same years-long training in the royal academy as we both did.”

Manuel nodded his head slowly. “Yes, I remember that day. It was around the time of the coronation of the Ninth Dragon King we were invited to attend – as astonishing as it was...”

“Not _that_ astonishing,” Thomas stated dryly, “the Southern Kingdom is at war with the Northern Kingdom, and as the Chief Commander and Sub Commander of the royal Dragon Legions, they couldn't _not_ invite us to the coronation of the new king after the old one had died at such an untimely and precarious time of the war.”

“Yes, that's what I mean. We had to leave our men alone for more than a week because of the celebrations for the coronation, drinking wine and eating sumptuous meals while our legionaries were without a proper leader and dying in the mud. Have you never asked yourself who the man under the black dragon mask is – the Dragon King who is sitting lazily on his shiny Dragon Throne now – while thousands of good men – like you and Robert for example – are risking their lives for his honor and glory every single minute of the day?”

Thomas gazed at Manuel from the side, his plate forgotten in his hands. “You don't consider yourself to be a good man, too, Manu?” he asked quietly, “because for me you are the bravest man I've ever met.”

Manuel blushed, and he shrugged his shoulders. “You're biased, Tommy,” he said softly, his smile making his azure blue eyes sparkle.

“Maybe, I am – but it's the truth, nonetheless. It is not upon us to question the old laws and the behavior of his Majesty, though, and you should be careful with such statements.”

“But I'm right. It was sheer luck that you found such a great and skilled First Centurion in Robert after your former third-in-command died on the battlefield during the coronation week last year – and that the other officers accepted his promotion as there were several centurions older and serving in the legions for much longer than him.”

“They all knew that they had nothing on him. He's the best warrior of the entire legions, better than you and me together even, there was no other choice.” Thomas murmured, and Manuel narrowed his eyes ever so slightly at the husky tone of his voice.

“Robert has gotten under your skin, hasn't he, Thomas?” he asked, and now it was Thomas' turn to blush and avert his gaze from his friend's attentive eyes.

“He's a Beta, and he has never given any indication that he's interested in anyone or anything else other than winning this war, Manu. Besides,” the young Alpha forced himself to look at his beloved friend again, the handsome and kind Omega he had sworn to cherish for as long as he lived, and whom he loved more than anything in this world, even more than life itself. “You are the one I love, and when this war is over, I will take you as my mate.”

“Yes, I know, Tommy.” Manuel returned his soft smile, but he didn't sound as sure and convinced about it as he should, and Thomas wished that he could reach out and touch him. It was too risky to give in to his desire, though, and Robert's tall figure approaching them, now dressed in the simple deep red tunic that showed his rank as Thomas' First Centurion, made the words he'd wanted to say die on his lips. He felt out of breath all of a sudden, his fingers itching to stroke the shimmering dark strand out of the way that had fallen into Robert's smooth forehead.

“Robert, sit down and have a cup of wine with us,” he invited the handsome Beta to join them at the fire when he'd found his tongue again, and Manuel's flaring nostrils told him that his friend had picked up on his changed scent, heavy with suppressed desire for the young centurion with the dark hair and the cerulean blue eyes. Thomas was usually good at ignoring his desire for his First Centurion and pretending that he didn't have any interest in him, but after today's events, it was hard to keep up the pretense and suppress his feelings.

He watched Manuel handing Robert the offered cup of wine, and the brief but genuine and soft smile the Centurion gifted the tall Omega with made the wine Thomas had just sipped from turn into acid. He had no right to be jealous, and he couldn't even be sure whether he was jealous of Manuel or Robert as the two so different men looked each other deep in the eyes for a long moment. There were strange sparks dancing in Robert's eyes, a predatory look that should never be in a Beta's eyes when they were looking at an Omega.

 _'Robert doesn't know that Manuel is an Omega, he thinks him to be a Beta like he himself is, and he and you have just survived a bloody battle, no wonder that Robert is reacting to another Beta this way. You know how many of your men will search for a pair of warm and passionate arms tonight to assure themselves that they are still alive after a day like today of all days.'_ Thomas' common sense chided him, and he lifted his cup to his mouth again to hide his inappropriate jealousy from his two friends and swallowed the wine down, although it still tasted sour and like acid.

“Thank you, Robert,” he said to draw their attention back to him, and both men turned their heads to look at him, two pairs of blue eyes gazing at him, similar in color and yet so very different from each other.

“For what, Commander?” Robert asked quietly, his elegant long fingers holding the cup without drinking from the wine.

“You saved my life today. I didn't thank you for that so far.” Thomas felt guilty about that, but Robert simply bowed his head before him.

“It was my honor and is nothing you'd ever need to thank me for, Commander. Serving you and our beloved homeland is my life, my sacred duty and my honor.” His voice sounded so sure of that, and Thomas wished that he could feel the same certainty as Robert obviously did, but after witnessing during the celebrations of the coronation last year how the nobles lived in wealth and safety while their faithful legionaries died for them on the battlefield he couldn't suppress his bitterness about this injustice any longer.

“You forgot to mention our king, Robert - his Majesty, Ninth Dragon King of the Southern Kingdom,” he murmured, knowing that he was stepping onto dangerous territory, but sometimes, he needed to allow his defiant side to rise to the surface and break through the iron self-control he had to keep up as the Chief Commander most of the times.

Robert's blue eyes lit up with something that was gone again before Thomas could detect what it was, and his intense gaze made Thomas' breath falter again. “You are serving the king, and I am serving you, Commander. This is how things have always been, and I have accepted my place in this world a long time ago.”

“Thomas,” Thomas said, and Robert glanced questioningly at him.

“Call me Thomas tonight, not Commander.” Thomas did his best to sound demanding, but there was a pleading undertone in his voice which he hated but couldn't do anything about.

“As you wish, Thomas.” Robert thankfully didn't argue with him, just gifting him with a smile that was as soft as the one he'd given Manuel, and Thomas' heart missed a beat before it began thrumming hard against his ribcage. He lowered his hands holding his own cup down onto his lap to hide his physical reaction to Robert's smile as best as he could, hoping that Robert's nose was not as sensitive as Manuel's as the Beta he was. The herbals Manuel took on a regular basis suppressed his heats and masked his scent, but they didn't dull his senses, so it was no wonder that his best friend could pick up on his feelings and reactions so easily, bit it should be much more difficult for Robert to do the same, so at least Thomas hoped.

“I still remember the tales my grandmother told me about the Dragon King. That he was the Master of the Dragon sleeping deep down in the caves under Castle Dragonstone. That the Dragon King would wake the dragon when the kingdom was in danger, and that the dragon would fly high up in the sky and breathe fire onto our enemies to destroy them – fight against the fearsome lion of the Northern Kingdom and bring the Lion King down onto his knees.” Manuel looked up into the dark sky as if he was searching for a dragon there, and Thomas followed his gaze. There was nothing to be seen other than the heavy clouds, but it had stopped raining some time ago, and Thomas had learned to be grateful for small mercies.

“They are just tales, Manuel. Tales to spook children and make them behave. My fostress told me the same stories about the huge lion protecting the Northern Kingdom and the dragon defending our own homeland, but in her tales the Dragon King turned into a dragon himself when the kingdom was in danger. I loved those stories when I was a small boy, but I have stopped believing them when I grew older. She would tell me her stories when she put me to bed, and I always begged her to tell me one more story before she would leave me to go to her own small chamber.

She said that the dragon had fallen into a deep slumber and couldn't be woken because it had lost its mate, and that one day, when the time was right, the Dragon King would find another true mate. Then, the dragon would wake up again and turn his new mate into a dragon as well so they could fly in the sky, fight against the lion and protect our kingdom together. But as I said before, these stories are just tales, nothing more. Humans can't turn into dragons, and the stories about people who claim that they have seen a real dragon fly over the mountains are centuries old.”

Manuel and Robert had listened to him silently, and it was his First Centurion who broke the silence at last and asked:

“So you don't believe in dragons, Thomas? You don't believe that the Dragon King exists?”

Thomas snorted. “Oh, I know that the Dragon King exists. I saw him sitting on his Dragon Throne with the black dragon mask hiding his features from his subjects. He's the most powerful human man in the whole kingdom, that's for sure, but he's not able to turn into a dragon and breathe fire down onto our enemies!” he said through gritted teeth, the anger he'd locked deep inside himself for more than a year breaking free all of a sudden. A sharp ache shooting through his palm made him flinch, and he stared at his hand in confusion, watching the dark-red droplets of his own blood fall into the fire with hissing noises. He'd forgotten that he'd still held his spoon in his hand, and the thin handle had broken into two pieces, the sharp edges cutting into his palm and drawing blood that was quickly coating his palm as he watched it flow with a frown between his tired eyes.

“Ouch, how stupid of me.” he murmured, wanting to wipe the blood away with the hem of his tunic, but Robert surprised him as he enclosed his wrist with warm fingers to lift his bloody hand to his mouth.

“What are you doin...” the words died on his lips when Robert's cerulean blue eyes bore into his and soft lips closed over the throbbing wound. The tip of Robert's warm tongue licked the blood from his palm, and the sharp pain faded almost instantly. Thomas couldn't move, he couldn't even breathe, and he forgot anything else, his sole attention directed at the beautiful face so close to his own as Robert held his gaze while he licked his palm clean, and the touch of his lips made Thomas feel like burning from the inside.

Time seemed to come to a halt, and Thomas felt like waking up from a deep slumber and a long weird dream when Robert gently drew back from his hand eventually and lowered it down into Thomas' lap again, stroking over the tender skin on his wrist with his fingertips as he pulled away and stood in one single graceful motion.

“Thank you for the wine, Commander,” he said with a bow, “I wish you good night.”

Robert was gone before Thomas had shaken himself out of his shocked state again, and all he could do was stare after him with his heart beating hard and fast in his chest and the pain of his unfulfilled desire throbbing between his legs, acutely aware of Manuel watching him quietly. He didn't need to look at his hand to know that the wound had closed without a scar, even though he didn't know how this was possible.

“Thomas?” Manuel sounded worried, and Thomas forced himself to turn his head and smile at his beloved friend and future mate.

“It's nothing, just a long and exhausting day. I'm alright, Manu,” he said, even though they both knew quite well that this wasn't true. His friend just nodded his head, though, returning his smile, and Thomas deeply grateful that he accepted his lie.

“Let us go to bed, Thomas. It's late, and you need your sleep.”

He rose to his feet and Thomas did the same, following his friend into their tent, so tired that he almost stumbled. Tomorrow would be another day, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and forget how Robert had looked at him when he'd licked up his blood.

Manuel was his beloved Omega, his future and his mate, and Thomas wouldn't allow anything and anyone to come in between them, not even the most fascinating Beta he'd ever met.

*~*~*

Loud cries and shouts rose Thomas from his fitful slumber, and he blinked as he tried to clear his sleep-fogged mind. He could tell that it was still night, but there was a flickering red-golden glow outside the tent walls, lighting up the dark night sky as if the sun was already rising. Thomas met Manuel outside the tent as he stumbled through the curtain, finding himself in the middle of thousands of his legionaries who'd gathered together around his tent and all over the camp, staring up at the far too bright sky and pointing with their hands at the huge dark shadow that was moving high above them in elegant circles.

“Manuel, what happened?” he shouted into the taller man's ear, and Manuel grabbed his shoulder so hard that Thomas had to suppress a cry of pain.

“Look for yourself, Thomas!” his friend and Sub Commander shouted back, and Thomas craned his head back and stared at the huge black creature that was spreading its wings now and flying in the direction of the camp where the hostile armies of the Northern Kingdom were gathered together and preparing for the terrible battle that would follow the next morning. Orange-golden fire was coming out of the creature's mouth and nose, and Thomas pinched himself to make sure that he wasn't still dreaming.

“The dragon has come to save us and end this war!” One of the legionaries shouted, “the Dragon King has sent his dragon to burn our enemies with his dragon fire!”

Thomas stared at the sky, still not daring to believe his eyes.

There was a dragon flying in the sky right over his head. A real dragon, breathing fire and looking utterly magnificent and powerful as he circled over the armies of the Northern Kingdom, letting his dragon fire rain down onto them. Thomas couldn't avert his eyes from the breathtaking sight as he watched the dragon bring death and destruction to their enemies with his fiery breath, and the dragon's loud and triumphant roar echoing in the cold night air made him shiver with both fear and arousal.

The stories his fostress had told him when he'd been a young boy were true. The dragon had woken up, and soon he'd come to choose his mate and claim them.

The dragon must be an Alpha like the Dragon King, and he would of course choose an Omega to be his mate. There were only few Omegas left in the Southern Kingdom, and Manuel, his beloved Manuel, was one of them.

*~*~*

Thomas was still shocked and hardly able to move because of the devastating realization what the dragon's sudden appearance possibly meant for Manuel and the future they wanted to build together after that terrible war, and he felt like a distant watcher and not the Chief Commander of his legions when chaos broke out around him and his men started to run towards the camp of their enemies with raised weapons and screams of triumph.

The magnificent black creature was still circling in the dark sky and breathing fire onto his poor victims, and Manuel grabbing his arm to shake him out of his paralyzed state helped him to regain control over his body again and shook him out of his shock.

“We need to stop them, Thomas!” Manuel shouted into his ear to make himself heard above the horrible noise, and Thomas nodded his head frantically and headed back into the tent to get his weapons. It was one thing to fight against their enemies on the battlefield and defend their beloved home and their own lives, but a totally different kind of thing to let his legions slaughter and butcher helpless and already defeated men in a blood frenzy.

This was not what he'd signed up for when he'd become a soldier, and he would do his best to avoid more bloodshed and terror. Thomas was a child of the war that had already lasted for years when he'd been born, but he wanted to become a man of peace without having to worry that the next day would be his last day. His long time practice helped him to dress his armor in record time and grab his weapons, and Manuel did the true miracle and appeared with their horses, already saddled and bridled when he emerged from the tent again.

“You're not in the state to ride, you're still wounded, Manu!” he objected when he saw determination shine in Manuel's blue eyes, but his best friend and right hand silenced him quickly.

“I will not let you do this alone, Commander. They are our men, and we will stop them together!”

Thomas sighed and nodded as he mounted his beloved stallion, wishing that Robert was there to help them, but his First Centurion was nowhere to be seen, and Thomas didn't have time to search for him, either. The dragon had disappeared behind the thick line of trees near the camp of their enemies while he'd been busied with getting his weapons, and Thomas felt a cold shudder run down on his spine as he imagined what the most powerful creature that had ever existed on Earth had done to the legions of the Northern Kingdom.

He pressed his heels into Stormwind's flanks, and his faithful friend jumped forward and raced through the narrow space between the tents at high speed, never missing the right path or stumbling over roots, obstacles or holes in the ground. He could hear Manuel encouraging his own stallion Sunracer to follow Stormwind and the sound of hooves stomping over the muddy ground right behind him, and his heart tightened with a hot wave of life for the man he loved for longer than he could actually remember.

“Faster, Stormwind, we need to be faster than them!” he shouted into Stormwind's twitching ear, and his steed sped up to follow the moving wall of legionaries thirsting for blood and revenge, hoping that he wouldn't come too late to keep them from bringing more death and destruction to the bleeding hearts of two once so proud and powerful kingdoms.

*~*~*

Stormwind and Sunracer had gone beyond their limits for their beloved human masters, and Thomas and Manuel had managed to overtake their raging legionaries and take the lead. They'd even brought a considerable distance between themselves and their furious soldiers, stopping when they reached the edge of the hostile camp to block the way and make their own legions stop before they could overrun what was left from the camp after the dragon fire.

The dragon himself was gone after accomplishing his horrible task and burning their enemies with his fiery breath, and if it hadn't been for the visible evidence of the creature's terrible revenge, then Thomas would have thought that it had all just been a dream, a horrible nightmare he would soon wake up from. But as things stood it was all real, and the question where the dragon was hiding after flying away was actually the least of Thomas' problems as he didn't think that the creature would attack the people he was supposed to protect since the beginning of the known world.

The stench of fire, smoke and burnt flesh made it hard for them to breathe, and the two stallions neighed loudly in distress, but they didn't try to run away from the terror behind their backs, just stomped their hooves and threw their heads back with rolling eyes.

“You're my good boy, Stormwind,” Thomas soothed his mount, the pained cries and screams of those of their defeated enemies who were still alive ringing loudly in his ears. He wished desperately for Robert to be here with him to stop the raging mob that was approaching them fast, and it was Manuel's surprised cry that made him turn his head to see the dark rider racing towards them like a black arrow.

“Robert, over here!” he shouted, his knees buckling with relief when he recognized rider and horse, and his First Centurion let the reins loose and bent deep down over Nightshade's neck. His pitch-black stallion didn't seem to touch the ground but actually fly over the meadow, and he stopped abruptly right at Thomas' side when the first line of running and shouting soldiers broke through the trees, heading in their direction.

“Where have you been?!” Thomas growled when Robert reigned his stallion, foamy sweat dripping from Nightshade's black fur.

“I'm sorry, Commander. I'm here now, and we will stop them together. There has been enough bloodshed tonight,” Robert shouted over the noise their irate legions made, and Thomas was too relieved to see him well and unharmed to notice that the dark-haired centurion hadn't answered his question.

The three riders sat on their snorting and neighing horses, still blocking the way to their enemies, and Thomas feared that their own men would just overrun them in their bloodlust and haste to reach the camp and slaughter those which had survived the dragon fire. He raised his sword over his head to make them stop and Manuel and Robert flanking him did the same with their weapons.

“Stop! We're soldiers, legionaries, we're not butchers! Stop and go back to the camp, the war is over!” Thomas shouted, staring down at the leader of the mob from Stormwind's back. The man didn't seem to hear him, and Thomas shouted again, pulling at the reins to make Stormwind rise on his hind legs.

The shrill neigh his faithful stallion let out stopped the furious soldier at last, and the man came to a halt a few inches away from Stormwind's whirling hooves, just like the rest of the furious mob.

“We have followed you wherever you've led us, and we would even follow you to the Underworld and back, Commander, but we won't let you stop us now! Let us through and finish them for once and all!” the legionary growled, the color of his panache showing his rank as a centurion. Thomas recognized the features under the dirt and mud that was covering his face, Joshua was the commanding officer of the second cohort of the proudest of the three legions under his command, the _Legion I of the Black Dragon_. Once there had been nine legions protecting the Southern Kingdom, but these times were long gone, and only three of the former nine legions were left nowadays, the _Legion I of the Black Dragon,_ the _Legion II of the Silver Dragon_ and the _Legion III of the Red Dragon_.

Thomas had dreamed of serving in the Legion of the Black Dragon since he'd been a small boy, but now he felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on his shoulders, and he was deeply grateful for Manuel and Robert's quiet but strong presence as he shook his head and raised his sword again.

“No, Joshua. There is nothing honorable about slaughtering wounded and defenseless men. I won't let you disgrace yourself and bring shame on the royal legions of the three dragons we have committed ourselves to with our lives and our hearts. Turn around and go back to our camp, you will soon see your families and loved ones again. The dragon has returned to us, and no one will ever dare to attack us again. The war is over, and there has been enough killing.”

“But Commander!” Joshua tried to protest, but the icy voice cutting right through his words and the noise the legionaries were still making silenced not only Joshua, but also the soldiers still thirsting for revenge.

“You heard your Chief Commander, Centurion! Go back to the camp, wait there for the Commander's return and prepare everything for our early departure tomorrow.” Robert didn't need to shout to make himself be heard, and when he and Manuel moved closer to Thomas with their horses, the shouting mob actually went silent and turned around to start off towards their own camp again, hesitant, but willing to obey. Thomas gritted his teeth as he remained in his posture, even though his arm hurt from raising the sword over his head for so long, but he ignored the pain and waited until the last one of his legionaries had disappeared between the tall trees again before he dared to lower his sword down again and turn around to the burning camp of the hostile army.

Three figures were kneeling in the dirt with their heads lowered down, waiting to be acknowledged. One of them carried a white flag as the sign of their surrender, and Thomas clicked his tongue and rode forward to regard the defeated enemy that had cost the lives of so many of his faithful legionaries. Robert and Manuel followed him, and Thomas felt humble and blessed to have them at his side.

Stormwind snorted and stomped his hooves again, and Thomas patted his sweaty neck.

“Who are you?” he wanted to know, giving his voice an imperious sound. He was the Chief Commander of the royal Dragon Legions of the Southern Kingdom after all, about to accept the surrender of the Northern Kingdom at the behalf of the new Dragon King, and he would do it like the triumphant victor he was, even though he'd had the help of a dragon and almost lost his own life earlier today.

The figure kneeling in the middle between the two other Northerners slowly lifted its chin up, but the man's features lay in the darkness, and his face was covered in dirt, and all Thomas could see at first was a pair of beautiful amber-golden eyes gazing up at him with a mixture of humiliation, utter despair, deep grief and defiance.

“I'm the Commander of the army you have just defeated, Master of the Dragon. I have come to lay our fate in your hands and ask for your mercy. Your dragon burnt our camp and all of our weapons and supplies, and far too many good men died tonight. The rest of my soldiers is wounded and cannot fight anymore. Take this flag as the sign of our surrender, and if you need kill me to set a warning example for the world, then go ahead and do what you must do, but please let my men live and return to their homes, I'm begging you.”

His voice was raw with pain and exhaustion, but he held his head up high, pride burning in his astonishing eyes like the golden flames of the dragon fire that had burnt his camp and his hopes to win this war, and Thomas knew that he couldn't kill him, even though he actually shouldn't show any mercy with his opponent. The moon was coming out from behind a thick gray cloud all of a sudden, right when Thomas gazed down at his counterpart, falling onto his face and revealing surprisingly young and handsome male features under the layer of dirt and smoke.

The unknown Northern Commander stared up at Thomas, holding his gaze with so much ease, and Thomas looked down at him, fascinated and drawn in against his will. If things were different, they wouldn't be enemies. In another life and another world, they could even be friends. The faint musky scent tickling his nose despite of the thick smoke in the air told him what Thomas had already suspected, namely that the beautiful amber-golden eyes belonged to an Alpha, an Alpha like he was.

The Dragon King would probably punish him for what he was about to do, but Thomas didn't care, and he made a gesture with his hand as he ordered the other Commander to rise to his feet again, swallowing against the sudden lump in his throat and having to clear it before he could speak up again.

“Stand up and go back to your men, Commander. There has been enough bloodshed, enough destruction and war. But know that the dragon will return and burn all of you if your king will ever try to trespass our borders and attack us again with his army.”

The other Commander slowly rose to his feet and bowed his head before Thomas.

“I will bring your message to my king, Master of the Dragon. The God of War has favored you and your Dragon King this time, but none of us is to know about the will of the Gods and what the future will bring. The black dragon has finally woken up again, and so will the golden lion do one day in the future, so you'll better be prepared for that.”

His amber-golden eyes darted to the black rider at Thomas' left side for a moment, and Robert met his gaze silently for a few rather long seconds before the defeated Commander of the Lion King's army lifted his chin up ever so slightly and turned around abruptly to go back to what was left of his faithful soldiers. Thomas waited until he and his two companions had disappeared in the darkness, then he jerked his head at Manuel and Robert to make them follow him and galloped into the night, back to the place where his legions were waiting for his return and his next orders.

The war was over, and now he and Manuel could finally become true mates, even though this meant that he had to bury his secret desire for Robert for once and all. But it was for the better as he told himself strictly, and maybe, if he just told himself often enough that this was the truth, he would finally start to believe his own words one day.

*~*~*

“I'm a soldier, not a politician, I'm not sure how I could be of any assistance during the negotiations for a peace treaty,” Thomas sighed when they reached the capital and rode through the front portals.

They'd needed nine days to come here, marching through the destroyed landscape until nightfall and leaving the makeshift camps the legionaries built for the night at sunrise again. Manuel's wound had healed despite the straining journey, but Thomas was still worried about his beloved Omega, and the knowledge that he would soon have to say goodbye to Robert didn't serve to lift Thomas' depressed mood, either.

“You are the Chief Commander of the royal Dragon Legions, Thomas. Of course your presence is required and needed at the negotiation table.” Manuel observed reasonably, grinning at him when he added in a mischievous voice: “Your counterpart called you Master of the Dragon, and I have to agree with him, Thomas. You would make for an amazing dragon rider, that's for sure.”

Thomas rolled his eyes, and he felt himself blushing, but Manuel's words stirred something inside him, and he had to suppress a low growl as his Alpha instincts rose to the surface with full force. He was usually good at suppressing them, but the last ten days had taken their toll, and the image of him riding on the back of the black dragon made his blood boil.

“Don't call me that, Manuel! I am not the Master of the Dragon, and you should be careful with what you say. The royal guards have their eyes and ears everywhere, and you could be accused of treachery and blasphemy for your words.” He chided his friend, but Manuel looked unimpressed, and Robert, riding at his left side again, shrugged his shoulders.

“But Manuel is right, Commander. It can't be a coincidence that the dragon woke up in that night of all nights after having slept for centuries, proving the old tales about him to be right. You would look so good riding on his back!”

Thomas patted Stormwind's silver-white neck tenderly. “Stormwind is the only one I want to ride, he's all I need. But thank you for the compliment, I guess,” he murmured, feeling flattered against his will.

The citizens of the capital had all gathered together to celebrate their heroes and pay their respects to the victor, shouting his name and clapping their hands in exaltation when Thomas rode past them on his beautiful white steed, his silver armor shining in the sunlight of the early spring. He knew that he was an impressive sight, but he would happily give up all glory and fame to be able to take Manuel as his mate eventually. The Alpha inside him was impatient and anxious to claim Manuel as his rightful Omega and mate, the sooner the better - as the fear that Manuel would arouse the attention of the Dragon King and maybe even the dragon himself had not subsided so far. Omegas were rare these days in both kingdoms, one of the reasons for the bloody war that had destroyed so much and cost so many lives in the first place.

Thomas didn't want to spend days and perhaps weeks in Castle Dragonstone with Manuel so close to the still so mysterious Dragon King, and he could feel the presence of the dragon close by, even though the young Alpha wasn't sure how this was even possible. It was almost as if the dragon was singing his dragon song somewhere inside his mind and his soul, his fire blazing through Thomas' veins and making his blood boil with a strange desire that made him feel restless and yearning for something he didn't even know what it actually was he was craving so much.

The black dragon hadn't shown himself again after that fateful night, probably hiding in his secret lair, but Thomas could feel the creature watching him, and he knew that the dragon was watching Manuel, too.

“We have to part now, Commander.”

Robert's calm voice rose him from his thoughts, and Thomas couldn't hide his dismay when he turned his head to look at his First Centurion.

“But your place is at my side, you can't leave now!” he objected, hating how shaky his voice sounded. Robert smiled at him, and his blue eyes sparkled when he bend his head in a deep bow.

“I am not the one the Dragon King wants to see and honor for winning this war, and we all have to serve our homeland in the best way we can do that, Commander. It was my greatest honor to serve under your command, and if the Gods want that, then our paths will cross again one day, Master of the Dragon.” The dark-haired centurion pressed his heels into Nightshade's flanks, and he was gone before Thomas had the chance to tell him goodbye and ask him where he wanted to go.

The young Alpha watched Robert ride away with burning eyes, and it was Manuel's soft and understanding voice which broke the spell again.

“His Majesty is waiting for his victorious Commander, Thomas. You cannot let him wait.”

Thomas swallowed but nodded his head, directing his grim glance at the huge castle portals opening for him now.

“Yes, I know, Manuel. As long as I have you by my side, I won't miss anything,” he said, ignoring the small voice whispering in his head that he was lying to himself.

*~*~*

The Lion King was a breathtaking sight under the golden mask that showed the stylized face of a male lion surrounded by a thick mane of a darker golden color. Thomas had a perfect view on him from his position behind the polished black Dragon Throne of his own king, and he was glad that he didn't have to do anything more other than just stand behind his king and attend the negotiations as the temporary royal Master of Security.

The two kings remained silent and let their ministers and counselors do the talking, but their postures were stiff and wary, and Thomas got the impression that both rulers wished to be somewhere else and far away from this place as much as he wanted it.

The ministers of the Southern Kingdom demanded the complete surrender of the defeated king, and that his kingdom would become a part of the Southern Kingdom to add to its territories and glory, which the counselors of the Lion King refused to agree to rigorously of course. Not even the threat of the black dragon burning the Northern Kingdom with his dragon fire could change their mind, and Thomas feared that the negotiations wouldn't bring peace but soon lead to another war.

He kept his eyes on the golden lion mask, determined to be faster in the unlikely case that the other king attempted to murder the Dragon King in his own throne hall, and he could feel the gaze of the foreign ruler directing itself on his own face on a regular schedule during the long hours. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but Thomas didn't know what it was, and Manuel only shrugged his shoulders when he told him about his impression.

“It's probably his kingly aura,” he said, but Thomas shook his head. He'd been surprised that neither the Dragon King, nor the Lion King smelled like the powerful Alphas they actually were, both apparently masking their natural fragrance with special herbals during the negotiations, and it disturbed Thomas more than he cared to admit, even more as both kings stirred something inside him he couldn't really put his finger onto. Their formal royal robes were loose enough to hide their figures, and the royal masks were also covering their hair, but something about them looked and felt familiar to Thomas.

“It can't just be his 'kingly aura', it must be something else,” he murmured to himself as he stepped onto the balcony that belonged to the throne hall to get some fresh air and let the sun shine onto his face during a break. Manuel didn't follow him, for which he was actually grateful as it became harder and harder for him to keep his self-control and not just jump the tall Omega right in front of the court to claim him as his for everyone to see. Thomas knew that he was going into rut soon, and he could only hope that the negotiations would come to an end before that would happen. He really needed a few minutes to himself, and Manuel seemed to sense that and was willing to grant him some peace and quiet without feeling offended.

The balcony was deserted except for the lonely figure hiding itself in the shadowy corner where the balcony ended, and Thomas gasped in surprise when the person turned around to see who had come to disturb their chosen solitude.

“Your Majesty! You shouldn't be outside, and this without your personal guards! There are still people wanting to see you dead!” he exclaimed, but the Lion King just shrugged his shoulders.

“If the Gods decide that my existence here in the human world will end today, then I will accept the fate they have chosen for me, Chief Commander,” he gave back, his voice even and calm, and he turned around fully to face the young Alpha without any sign of fear or worries that Thomas could be the one fulfilling the fate the ancient Gods might have chosen for him. It was the first time that the Lion King was raising his voice in Thomas' presence, and it struck the young Alpha without any warning.

The mask was covering the king's features, but it kept his eyes free, which were perfectly visible behind the mask now as they were standing so close to each other for the first time, and Thomas' own eyes widened when realization hit him like a hammer and he recognized the Lion King and where their paths had already crossed each other once. Now he also recognized the voice. He'd heard it before, raw with grief and husky from the smoke, but it was still the same, although it was smooth and the voice of a true king now.

There was a smile audible in said voice when the Lion King spoke up again. “I can see that you recognize me, Master of the Dragon. Don't look so surprised.”

“But... but I thought... You said that you were the Commander of the Lion King's armies...”

“And can the Lion King not be the Commander of his own armies?” The smile was still there, but it was mixed with resignation now, quiet with the deep grief about the death of so many soldiers he'd lost in that fateful night.

“Why would you put yourself in danger like this and risk your death on the battlefield? Kings are not meant to fight together with their armies!” Thomas stammered, and the Lion King cocked his head to the side.

“Is that so? But what kind of king would I be, then? Expecting my subjects to fight and die for me without being willing to do the same for them? There is a lot you have to learn about kings – and your own king in special as it would seem, Alpha. You're the Master of the Dragon, so listen to the dragon inside you and stop fighting against your true self, Thomas of Falconstone.”

“I don't know what you mean, your Majesty!” Thomas objected tersely, and the Lion King tilted his head to the side again.

“Because you're still fighting against the truth. But you cannot escape your destiny, Commander, none of us can.” He regarded Thomas with his amber-golden eyes for several long seconds before he sighed and allowed his shoulders to release their tension.

“Will you keep my secret, Master of the Dragon? Nothing good will come out of it for both of our people if you tell the ministers where we've met before.”

“You really expect me not tell my king who you really are?” Thomas asked incredulously. His question earned him a soft and truly amused chuckle.

“Your king knows me, Thomas. We're of the same blood, and we have known each other for a long time. I was talking about the ministers, not your king.”

Thomas hesitated, but the golden eyes trapped his gaze, and he could hear this strange voice whisper to him again, the voice of the dragon. He exhaled the breath he'd been holding without realizing and nodded his head.

“I will keep your secret, your Majesty. I will not tell the ministers who you are, but I will not lie to my king.” Not that the Dragon King had ever talked to him so far, and Thomas truly doubted that he would ever lower himself down like that, but his loyalty belonged to his homeland and his king, and Thomas would not break the oath he'd once sworn.

“Thank you, Commander. I owe more than just my life to you, and I will never forget that,” the Lion King thanked him, hesitating for a moment. “I am the Lion King now, but I was Marco before I became a king, and I will always be Marco for you, Thomas.”

He was gone before Thomas had won back his composure, leaving only his unique scent behind, the scent of a strong and healthy powerful unmated Alpha, faint and hardly detectable, but still as tempting as Thomas remembered it.

Thomas inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and balling his fists at his side. If things were different, they could be more than enemies and rivals. In another life and another world, they could be friends, lovers even, true mates. But things were as they were, and Thomas was bound to Manuel and his oath, and he didn't know where his disturbing and forbidden thoughts and feelings came from all of a sudden.

He swallowed down his grief about what could never be with an expression of grim determination and went back to his duties with a calm face like he'd learned to lock his feelings deep inside his heart a long time ago. It was pointless to grieve about things he could never have, and he would get over his confusing feelings for the Lion King like he would get over his forbidden desire for Robert one day.

In this life, he loved Manuel, and this was all Thomas had ever wanted.


End file.
